The Causative: have & get something done
The causative describes arranging for someone else to do something for you. Instead of doing the job yourself, you have or get it done. This is a key B2 structure…
The causative describes arranging for someone else to do something for you. Instead of doing the job yourself, you have or get it done. This is a key B2 structure for talking about services.
The structure
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| have something done | have + object + past participle | I had my car repaired. |
| get something done | get + object + past participle (informal) | I got my hair cut. |
Who does the action?“I cut my hair” = I did it myself. “I had my hair cut” = a hairdresser did it for me. The word order is crucial: the object comes before the past participle (have + the thing + done), not after.
Different tenses
| Tense | Example |
|---|---|
| Present simple | I have my car serviced every year. |
| Past simple | We had the house painted. |
| Present perfect | I‘ve had my photo taken. |
| Future / modal | I’m going to have my eyes tested. |
Also: an unwanted experience
have/get something done can also describe something bad that happened to you: “She had her bag stolen.” (a thief stole it).
Examples from EduCareer
- Aisha had her essay checked by a tutor.
- You can get your speaking assessed before the exam.
- Omar had his phone stolen on the bus.
Tutor tip for Arabic speakersThe order is the opposite of what many learners expect: have + the object + the past participle. Say “I had my car repaired,” not “I had repaired my car” (which means you did it yourself, in the past perfect). Keep the object in the middle.
Common mistakes
- I had repaired my car (= service meaning). → I had my car repaired.
- She cut her hair yesterday (at a salon). → She had her hair cut yesterday.
- I got my photo take. → I got my photo taken.
Practise with the 20 questions below.
Check your understanding
Answer the questions below. You will see instantly if you are right.
1."I had my car ___." (by a mechanic)
have + object + past participle.
2."She got her hair ___."
get + object + past participle.
3."I had my hair cut" means:
someone did it for you.
4.Correct word order:
have + object + past participle.
5.Which is correct?
causative → object before pp.
6."We're going to have the house ___."
have + object + pp.
7."I ___ my eyes tested last week."
past simple → had.
8."She had her bag ___." (a thief took it)
unwanted event → had + object + pp.
9."I've ___ my photo taken for the ID."
present perfect → 've had.
10.Which is correct?
get + object + past participle.
11."He has his suits ___ specially." (made for him)
have + object + pp.
12."You should ___ that tooth checked."
modal + have + object + pp.
13."They ___ their kitchen redesigned last year."
past → had.
14."I need to get my laptop ___."
get + object + pp.
15."Aisha had her essay ___ by a tutor."
have + object + pp.
16."We had the documents ___ into Arabic."
have + object + pp.
17."Where can I ___ this watch repaired?"
base form after 'can' → have.
18."He got his car window ___ in the storm." (damaged)
unwanted event → get + object + pp.
19."I'm having my flat ___ next month."
have + object + pp.
20."She had her speaking skills ___ before the test."
have + object + pp.
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